007 Days to Destruction
by smartfan
Summary: The sequel to the action-packed Golden Spy.  Please R
1. Chapter 1

**This is a fan fiction based upon the characters created by Buck Henry and Mel Brooks in the award winning show, Get Smart. Please read and enjoy! Also, be sure to review. I would like to know how the readers like this story.**

Max pulled up to the apartment and slammed the door of his red Sunbeam Tiger. As he entered the apartment building there streaks of heated water streaming down his reddened cheeks. His eyes were slightly puffed and his nose tipped with a thin layer of mucous. Constantly, Max was swiping at his face as if there were an annoying insect hovering about and he hung his head as low as possible as he marched forward.

At the door of his apartment, Max felt the tears burning down his cheeks and his throat was sore from holding down the large lump in his throat. Once again, his relationship had failed. He had been seeing a girl that he thought he was somewhat interested in, but nothing extremely serious. However, it hurt nonetheless that she had broken it off with him due to the fact that Max was a classical case of a closed book, a hard man to know, and anything else that would magnify the fact that he couldn't speak truly of anything beyond his name and childhood.

The door slammed behind him and he used a new remote control to lock the door without dealing with manually with the many combination locks running along the side of it. His hands were trembling in such a manner that he knew for a fact that he wouldn't be able to accurately turn each one individually in the meticulous way that they needed to be. Immediately, he plopped onto the couch and he put a hand on his forehead.

It wasn't the fact that he liked the girl. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Although she was attractive, had long golden locks flowing down her back just past shoulder length, had blue eyes that were piercing like ocean waves that sparkled at sunset, and had full, heart-shaped lips that were coral colored, he found that she was much less the woman he was looking for.

His first objection had been to her name: Ophelia. It was perhaps the second-worst name he had ever heard and calling out to her was equally disgusting. When he said her name it was like shoving trashing into each eardrum...the vibrations simply didn't tremor in the amorous way that they should have. Next, Max disdained the fact that she was constantly being a busy-body, although he could understand why she had been so investigative. He couldn't even mention his real occupation and the whole greeting-card salesman bit wasn't flying much with Ophelia. She consistently complained that they spoke of trival facts and she had exhausted every facet of the three stories Max did choose to tell.

Those annoyances aside, Max concluded that he didn't really have feelings for the girl. The emotions that were creeping up at the moment were those that pertained to the fact that he could never have a real relationship. He was in his mid-forties and, thanks to his commitment to his nation's freedom, Max was bound not to mention the intricacies of his life, but even if he were allowed, he knew that no one would be able to understand him.

Well, there was one person, a person that he knew to the depths of his soul that he was in love with. However, it was also duty that held him back from making a bold confession to her. Should he do so, any KAOS agent to come along would be duty bound to use their emotions as weapons of mass destruction against them.

The phone rang and Max cleared his throat before picking up. "Hello?" However, yet another ring reverberated in the room. It was then that Max plucked his shoe off and answered, "Hello?"

"Ello, Max."

"007?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"How did you get this number? This is an unlisted shoe!"

"I called up the Chief and asked if I could get it so that I could get in touch with you."

Max rolled his eyes and reminded himself that he must be more careful about to whom to give his shoe number to. However, he remembered that it was the Chief who assigned the number to him in the first place. "Alright, well what would you like to know?"

"Well, we could beat around the bush with some stuff about 'how've you been' or I could cut to the chase and ask whether or not you confessed to 99 about how you feel about her?"

"I prefer the first option."

In an angered voice he immediately replied, "You didn't, did you?"

"We haven't gotten to that yet, 007. Now, I'm good, but how about yourself?"

"Max!"

In a miffed expression, he remarked, "I was _just_ being polite."

"Max, please. I thought that we had this discussion? You may _never_ get another chance. Didn't almost losing 99 teach you anything?"

His voice grew pinched and annoyed. "Well, I didn't lose her-and who said that she has to know? I would rather that she be safe than to risk her life at the cost of _feelings_."

"Max, she could have died in Germany-especially on account of your _obvious_feelings," Bond emphasized. "What are you really afraid of?" The other end grew silent and it was then that Bond hesitantly added, "You always blame your 'duty' as the culprit, but I think it's deeper. Maybe you're afraid to be happy with 99, that things may actually work out."

Again tears crept up and Max was forced to swallow the lump in his throat. Max thought back to the prior mission. 99 had been captured by KAOS and corrupt men from the United Embassy that had been bribed to sell out their countries in exchange for KAOS' protection. In turn, the United States was to be bombed and thanks to that discovery, they had decided to kill 99. In the meantime, they had used her as a lure, knowing that surely Max was to be sent after her. The Chief had thought to send along the famous James Bond after hiring him for the job. After nearly being killed, they had escaped.

He didn't want to admit it then, but had attempted to tell her. However, the romantic dinner that he set up for her had been seen as merely a platonic meeting to clear the air that her assumption that Max had no feelings for her was correct. At the time, he assumed that it had meant that she had moved on...that she had been hinting to him that there was no longer anything between them except for the usual business. Perhaps there was the friendship, but nothing more.

At the moment, though, Max thought that the candle wax and the scent of the dinner he had worked so hard on that night hadn't had enough time to fade away and therefore, he was not about to admit to their failure to lure the one he loved into his heart.

"I don't feel like talking tonight, 007. I have a very busy day, since I'm going back to CONTROL from vacation. Perhaps you could call again another time."

"Max-"

"Good night, 007," Max pressed.

"Good night, Max."


	2. Chapter 2

That morning had been especially trying considering the Chief had given him one of the biggest assignments he had ever been asked to handle. Yes it was dangerous and he professed to "love it," but at the same time he was unable to concentrate. James Bond's words kept circling his mind, taunting him like a helpless, scrawny child who was inept to defend himself.

He hadn't eaten at all since the evening before and although his stomach was physically empty it felt as though the pit had been stopped with a heavy weight. His mouth ran extremely dry and most of what the Chief had said during their briefing earlier had gone in one ear and directly out the other.

Max entered the apartment and jumped back, gasping at the site. Then, in an angered, irritated voice he growled, "007, what on earth are doing here?"

As the agent dangled upside-down from Max's latest contraption, "the ol' rope around the foot and yank quickly up pully-system trick," as he called it, he replied casually, "Well, the Chief said you would be here soon and..."

"And what? You wanted to have more idle chit-chat?"

"Yeah...if you want to call it idle chit-chat rather than _denial_."

"Denial chit-chat doesn't even make sense," Max pondered aloud as he finished entering the room. He went about casually, asking 007 as he went into the kitchen, "Would you like a drink while I'm up?"

007 shouted, "Would you please cut me down!"

Max quickly re-entered and rushed over to the control panel, where a series of buttons were laid out against the corner of his wall going up the first set of stairs. "Sorry about that, 007." He pressed a button which consequently released 007 and as his body thudded onto the ground, Max added sorrowfully, "...and that." Quickly, he assisted the agent in removing the noose from around his heal before he returned to the kitchen. "About that drink?"

"I think the bar has more of a satisfactory selection to wet my appetite."

Stifled at the request, Max raised an eyebrow and looked down at his watch. "But it's only noon."

007 rubbed his forehead and responded with a grunt, "I need a drink after the night I've had."

Max nodded and asked, "What'll you have?"

"Martini, shaken not stirred."

Quizzically, Max looked back as he began to pick out the necessary ingredients and inquired, "What kind of night was it?"

Bond sat himself down on the sofa and continued to rub his head. "Well, it was a rather long night."

"I suppose so with all the travel you must have done."

"Oh, I've been back in the states for a while now. I just have yet to contact you. I was hoping that a little time would be enough to persuade you in the right direction regarding 99."

Rolling his eyes, Max picked up the drink and delivered it, all the while remaining silent. He crossed over to the nearby rocking chair and seated himself quickly. With a clenched jaw he muttered, "You traveled all the way from England just to pester me about that?"

Gulping down the martini, Bond replied, "Oh, on the contrary. The Chief requested that I be brought back here."

"What for?"

"I'm afraid I can't spill that information, unless you happen to get me drunk, which is difficult considering how much of this stuff I consume on a regular basis," he remarked sarcastically.

Max didn't much approve of the drinking, seeing that there was little need to use considering that the only changes that the alcohol brought were negative. Already he sensed that Bond was slightly buzzed, considering he had gotten more bold in his speech. "I see. The Chief put you on a top secret mission, I pressume?"

"You assume correctly," he nodded after polishing off the final drop that was left lingering in his glass. "However, I thought while I was still in the area I would drop in to check on you, and make sure you do the _right _thing."

"What more is there to do, 007?"

Sarcastically he began again, "Oh, I wouldn't know. Perhaps something along the lines of confessing your love, getting together with the girl, and living happily ever after?"

Max glared and remarked, "You wouldn't know the first thing about this situation!"

007 returned the gesture and rebuted, "Oh, I wouldn't would I? I thought that you really paid attention back there in Germany, but perhaps all that 'talk' was 'idle chit-chat!'"

"I know what you say you've been through, but this is _different_."

"The only difference is that 99 isn't dead yet and if you don't confess she'll be killed and then what have you got? An empty memory! Just like me!"

Max's mouth dropped and then he narrowed his eyes as he gasped. He shook his head and declared, "This conversation is over!" He rose quickly and bolted toward the door. "I'll escort you out only because I'm much more the gentleman than you!"

"Max, I-I didn't mean it. Please-"

"Save it for one of your one night stands!" he bantered while swinging open the door.

"You still have time with her. What could possibly hold you back?"

Max peered directly into his eyes and shouted, "I already tried and she doesn't love me back!" Silence fell upon the two as Bond stared blankly, unsure of what he had just heard. He slid black sightly as he struggled to regain cohesive thought.

"She doesn't love you back?" The words fell out of his mouth like large boulders, tumbling slowly and in an awkward motion. "But how could she not?" He scratched his head as he sat back down onto the couch. "The way she looked at you-It simply isn't possib-"

"I set up this romantic dinner with candles everywhere and music in the background. I took her hands into mine and in the moment that I was going to confess, she said she knew what I was going to say...she said we're just friends." Max closed the door sullen at his own admission of defeat.

"Are you certain? Perhaps she was simply assuming-"

"I doubt it very highly." Max truged back over to the rocking chair and sat back down near the edge. He peered down as if he were looking deep into a reflection of himself, a reflection that reiterated his most vile inner self. "And it's all my fault. I putzed around all these years, convincing myself that she would always be around, that she would always be there. Then, one day she moved on with Victor Royal...I mean, she didn't marry him, but had he not been a KAOS agent, she would have. She would have married _him_." All the while, his eyes never moved from the floor and it was hard to see when Max blinked. He sounded as if he were speaking so far away that his voice was barely audible. "She would have been _his_ wife."

Bond became quite and folded his hands in his lap. He pondered a while before saying gently, "You could still tell her."

Immediately, Max's eyes darted up toward 007 and he retorted, "And ruin what little of a relationship I do have?"

"How could you ruin anything? You haven't said anything and it's not an insult to tell someone you love them."

"No, it's not." Max agreed before adding, "But, when that person doesn't have feelings for you, doesn't love you back, they feel guilty for not returning the favor and slowly they draw back." Max peered back down at the ground and dug a toe into the carpet. "I-I don't have much with 99, but it _is_ something. She's still my friend and if I were to say something and...I couldn't handle the consequences of that."

Little was said after that. As persistent as he was, 007 decided that it would be pointless to argue any more with man who was not ready now, nor possibly ever to confess his love to the woman so dear to his heart. He quietly left and Max shut the door quietly behind him. He quickly refocused his thoughts and drew out a panel of pictures that the Chief had given to Max to sort through-a pile of pictures that would determine his partner for this dangerous assignment.

_She's not dead yet!_

Max wasn't sure of what dangers lied ahead, but he most certainly wasn't going to bring along 99 to help him face them...or so he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"Welcome, back, 007!"

007 gladly stepped into the door as he replied, "Thank you, 99. It's nice to know that I have a place to stay while I'm in town." Bond felt slightly guilty that he had lied to Max about his reason for being in town, but he thought it better if he didn't divulge the fact that he was staying with 99. The last thing he wanted to do was put more doubt into Max's mind, especially considering he had yet to get a chance to speak with 99 to hear her side of the story.

"I'll get us a couple of drinks. Would you like anything in particular?"

"Martini, shaken, not stirred, please." He made himself comfortable on her couch and as 99 went to her kitchen, he noted the simplicity of the apartment. She had a small love seat positioned across from him and a recliner to the right, both of which were matching blue. The walls were a little dull in color, but she spruced them up with a few photos from her childhood.

However, there was one picture in particular that caught his attention. It was newer than the others. Curious, 007 got off the couch and strolled over to it so that he could get a closer view. It was a black and white photograph of her with Max. They were dressed up for what he thought looked like a party, both were simply looking at one another and smiling. He removed the picture from the wall and noted the look that they both had in their eyes, as if there were some sort of sparkle. It was then that he remembered Max's words. _She doesn't love me._

He was slightly startled when 99 came rushing back into the room with a tray. "Here we are," she cheerfully remarked as she set the tray down on the cherry oak coffee table. She peered up and inquired, "Have you found something of particular interest, Mr. Bond?"

"Oh, well," he began, unsure of what to say. He was rather baffled, although not entirely surprised by her question. "I was just admiring this picture of you and Mr. Smart. I'm surprised that you would have it up in your apartment, considering your repertoire with him."

She sat quietly down and nervously assured him, "Oh, well, that is the normal procaution taken, but Max is a close friend of mine and...well, perhaps it would be better if I did take it down."

"But it's a very nice picture." 007 took a seat beside her and picked up his martini glass. As he took a sip he asked softly, "I wonder if you wouldn't mind telling me more about it."

"Not at all," 99 smiled brightly. "That was the night that Max won agent of the year and he had asked me to be his escourt. He had just recently gotten out of a bad relationship," she noted quietly, "although I'm not certain that he was very serious about it."

"You know," 007 began as he placed the picture gently down onto the table, "I was wondering about something, and I hope you don't mind if I pry-" His eyes darted over to 99 and he noted that she was quizzical about what he was about to say. He took a sip of his martini in the middle of his statement and then, without thought Bond blurted, "Have you ever thought of yourself with Mr. Smart?"

"Excuse me, but I don't think I completely understand. I mean, Max and I have been co-agents ever since I came to CONTROL back in 1964."

007 rested his hand on his knuckles as he swirled the martini around in his glass. "Well, I shall clarify," he spoke hesitently. "Have you ever thought about if you and Mr. Smart were to be, well, _more_ than 'just friends?'"

99 peered down onto the floor and began to speak in a way that he thought not possible for her. Her speech became a stumble, where she became so tongue-tied that she could barely tell a coherent sentence. "Well-I-you see-well, Mr. Smart and I-I mean, I've-" Quickly, she took a gulp of the grape juice she had in her hand and she took a large breath to collect her thoughts. "Mr. Smart and I are _friends_ and I think that's all there is to it. I mean, we're partners-co-agents," she corrected in the middle of her sentence.

007 thought to himself that he was on the verge of a break through. Although he was gentle and subtle about his methods, Bond pushed onward hoping that he would get the answer he needed. "Then you have no feelings for Mr. Smart?"

Again 99 began to stumble and her hands were shaking. She went to take another gulp of her drink only to realize that there was none left in her glass, save for a few meaningless drops. Her mouth ran dry and she found it increasingly difficult to speak. "Well-I mean, we're, um, well-we're _friends_-we're _partners_." She froze on that word and gave up any more attempts to clarify herself. 99 rubbed her forehead and then replied, "I'd rather not go further into this subject."

007 giggled nervously, anxious to get his answer. However, he thought to himself that if he were to push 99 too much that she would get flustered and then she would go silent for good. He tread lightly in his conversation and remarked, "Forgive me if I've made you uncomfortable, 99. I just thought that...well," he remarked as he picked the photograph back up, "you and Mr. Smart would make a remarkable couple."

99 pondered a moment and then stared 007 directly in the eye. "What makes you say that?"

"Just the way you two look at one another, I mean, here," he pointed after catching himself making too hasty of a conclusion. "I thought I saw that same look on our mission together, but perhaps I was wrong."

She peered down at the floor in shame and admitted softly, "You weren't. At least, on my behalf. Max is a different story." 99 glanced over and saw that 007 had been leaning in intently, suddenly aroused by her admission. At this point, she saw no more use in hiding behind her facade as a hardened feminine, CONTROL agent. "I thought that perhaps he was going to confess his feelings to me one night. He had invited me over to his apartment and he set up a bunch of candles and I think he had actually _cooked_ for me. But, I got nervous and I wanted to clarify the situation." She paused and with a tear in her eye she whispered, "He said we were just friends."

"Do you believe that?"

"I don't want to, but unless he does something different I _have_ to."

"Couldn't you talk to him about your feelings for him?" he suggested after mulling over the fact that Max would be more than difficult to pursuade.

"I would love to tell him," she admitted, "but it might make things awkward for work, if he doesn't reciprocate my feelings. I like knowing that at least I get to see him nearly every day and that even if I don't get to go home with him, I know that at least in one part of my life he's my _partner._" With a few tears dripping down her face, she apologized.

"There's no need to be sorry. I should be the one apologizing to you for being so nosey," he replied even though he had a secret grin plastered all over on the inside. "Perhaps you're just reading him wrong."

"I don't think so. If he really wanted to confess to me that he loved me and that he wanted to marry me, I think Max would have done so that night in his apartment."

_Darn it, Max_, 007 scolded angrily to himself. Bond continued to sooth 99 until she stopped crying, although she didn't sob much. He noted that he thought she was rather brave and that this slight break down was perhaps the hardest he had to bear. In fact, Bond almost wanted to cry for her, knowing that if it weren't for either one's stubborness that perhaps they would be together. He was saddened by the tragedy that neither knew what the other was thinking and that neither knew that it was truly the same thing-that they _did_ share that most intimate of bonds, that it was really love.

After 99 had regained her composure, Bond changed the subject and inquired about her plans. "Are you going on a mission? I thought that Mr. Smart had mentioned that when I phoned him the other night?"

"Well, he may have been put on assignment, but I haven't heard word from the Chief yet. He may be assigned alone."

"Perhaps you should have talk with the Chief. I mean, I thought he said for sure that he would need a partner for this sort of thing."

"I might look into that." She quietly thanked him and then excused herself for the rest of the night. As 99 exited upstairs, Bond could only imagine the number of tears she would be shedding during the rest of the evening. He almost couldn't bear the thought and he silently cursed his own stubborness in his situation for keeping him from experiencing love with his own partner. There had to be something he could do. Bond had mentioned the agent situation, but he already had an incling that what he had mentioned to Max might have scared him off from immediately choosing 99 for assignment-that perhaps he thought it would be too dangerous to take 99 along.

There had to be a way to get the two together. He just had to figure out how.


	4. Chapter 4

007 angrily struggled only to find that it was nearly impossible to move. The cold vent closed in all around him and it didn't help that he had extreme claustrophobia. Every three of four minutes he felt the air from the furnace nipping at his rear, making it nearly impossible to stand. It was miracle that he had inched his way forward to the front of the vent, where he could peer through and view nearly all of Max's apartment.

Max was sitting quietly, staring at a pile of possible agents that he could take on his assignment. Despite his efforts to persuade him otherwise, the Chief had decided that Max needed a partner for the assignment and, upon Max's request, had provided a file of agents. As he went through the pictures he noted that most of the men were either deceased or too naive to take on a mission of such grandeur. One of the final photographs was that of the Mona Lisa and it was in that moment he pondered to himself if the Chief were trying to persuade him to take his usual partner.

When he picture was the last in the pile, he simply shook his head. He wasn't entirely surprised, considering the Chief was his best friend and the man he viewed like a father. It was very obvious to him from the beginning that Max and 99 were meant to be with one another, but to Max that was simply a pipe dream not much worse than his own.

Despite that, Max had managed to go through the pile and find some agents that he was willing to take a chance with. Even though they were young and inexperienced, he was much more comfortable with risking their lives rather than his own.

As he viewed from the vent, 007 sighed to himself and thought, _Come on Max. You know you want to be with her._

There was a quiet knock at the door that disturbed both from their thoughts. Max stirred from his concentration and went to answer.

Without giving it much thought, he opened the door to see who it was only to be surprised by the visitor on his doorstep.

"Hello, Max," 99 greeted as she stepped into the apartment. "I heard from the Chief that you've been given an assignment?"

"Yes. I think this is probably one of the most difficult I've been on." He ventured over near the desk. Although he did want to be near 99, he had avoided her for the last couple of days, thinking it would be hard, if not impossible, to explain to her why she wasn't going to be with him on this assignment. "The Chief said that I was to locate a KAOS messenger, one of the most notorious of their agents. He's been conveying a formula that might be used in nuclear weaponry by one of our enemies."

She went over to the coffee table and remarked, "This must be the list of possible partners to take with you on the assignment that the Chief mentioned." Then, startled by the ordering of the two piles, she saw that her picture topped the larger of the two. "Max?" she inquired. "Why do you have my picture in your rejection pile?"

Immediately, he was startled by her discovery and he struggled for a way to explain it to her without hurting her feelings. "Oh, well, this assignment is-well, it's pretty boring. I'm just going to find the Leader."

"The Leader? The KAOS front-runner?"

"I told you it was boring."

"Max, you could be killed! Why would you take someone inexperienced with you? Take me along!"

"99," Max argued, "this assignment is much too dangerous! I wouldn't...well, I just think that it would be better if you didn't come with me."

007 struggled in the vent, attempting to see both Max and 99. Silently he was seething. _Come on, ol' chap! Don't do this to yourself. Tell her the truth!_

"Max-"

In a stern voice, Max declared, "99 there is nothing, _absolutely_ nothing you could say that would change my mind."

"Please?"

Max glanced over at 99 and wondered why her eyes were pleading so desperately for him to cave in. He noticed that she had gotten quite close, close enough that if he just leaned in enough that maybe their lips would touch.

_Come on, Max! Tell her!_ Bond muttered in an inaudible tone.

Could this really be happening? Was she really interested in being with him? He leaned closer, wanting to kiss her and then he pulled away, feeling the fright that hovered over him dive down deep into his chest. "You can go on the mission."

"Blast!"

99 and Max discussed the details of the mission for a few minutes before deciding when they should meet again. 99 was going to go apply for a dance position in the studio where the Leader was rumored to be playing. Apparently, the band he was in was going to be featured on a television special. In addition, they were a player short. Although Max didn't play, he was told to meet the Chief and he discussed that somehow he would be positioned so that he could possibly spot the Leader. It was soon after that 99 excused herself and promised to contact Max if she found any evidence that could help with the case.

After she left, Max went over to the bar to grab a virgin drink. He searched in the cupboard below when he heard a loud bang. Immediately, he peered up as a body came flying out of the vent over top of him. The man screamed as he bounced off the top of the bar and onto the floor below. As the man moaned in agony, Max drew his weapon and popped up over the bar. "Alright, fella-007?"

"Yeah," he moaned as he rolled around, struggling to get up.

Immediately, Max went around the bar and helped 007 to his feet. He helped to seat Bond onto one of the bar stools and dusted some of the dust that had collected onto his tuxedo. Glancing back up at the vent, Max inquired, "What on earth were you doing in there? I thought you were on a mission for the Chief?"

"Well, I suppose we both know that that mission isn't exactly for the Chief."

"007! You lied to me!"

"I'm a spy, Max. That's kind of my job. Ow!" He grabbed his back and braced himself, unsure if he was able to keep onto the bar stool.

"I'll get you some ice." As he quickly handed the bag over filled with cool relief, Max asked, "How long were you up there?"

"Would you believe a couple seconds?"

Max glared, making the necessary conclusions as he thought upon the last hour.

"How about a couple minutes?"

"You were in there this whole time!"

"I suppose a few hours is probably more believable then, right?"

"You came to spy on me and 99! How did you know that she was going to come up here?" he interrogated Bond.

007 winced at the pain and then, with a hesistent tone, replied, "Well, let's just say that maybe she got the idea from someone."

"You TOLD HER?" With his eyes big and explosive, Max further pressed, "And how would you have met her?"

"Maybe I stayed with her," Bond stated as more of a question than an answer.

"YOU STAYED WITH 99?"

Quickly, Bond added, "Nothing happened while I was there-"

"I see what you did," Max seethed. "You found out that 99 was on the rebound from that fella she was with and you found out that she was available! You tricked me into actually believing that you simply wanted to help me when all you wanted was to go get 99 for YOURSELF!"

Immediately, Bond shot back, "Now that wasn't my intent at all." Max laughed sarcastically as 007 insisted, "Nothing happened between 99 and I. I told her that I was going to be in town and originally she offered to let me stay with her. I went over simply to visit and I came here, talked to you, and I got the idea to take her up on that offer." 007 paused and declared, "That didn't sound too good."

"Your darn right it didn't! Take her up on _that offer_. Disgusting!"

"I only meant that I went over there to see what she really thought of you," Bond defended himself.

"I doubt that very highly." Max escorted 007 from his seat and dragged him to the front door.

As he dragged him away, 007 added, "She said she loved you, Max."

"Don't feed me with any more of your lies, 007!" He opened the door and tossed him out, hearing nothing but a wail of pain.


	5. Chapter 5

Max was finding it difficult to go through the rehearsal. He was sitting amongst the group of other players in the Brass Quintet and he found it most difficult to try to pay attention to them while trying to follow the music and the conductor. He kept forgetting that he wasn't actually playing and although he hadn't ever been in a band, he had participated in the CONTROL choir program and he found the conductor's timing style to be rather confusing.

There hadn't been any leads and he had yet to hear from 99 that day. They had been corresponding for the last two days during lunch breaks as well as when their rehearsal breaks coincided with one another. However, she had yet to hear anything worth reporting. None of the players really spoke with Max despite his attempts to become friendly with the other members.

Finally, after three hours of rehearsal, the conductor suggested that the band take five minutes to rest before the final rehearsal of the night. After a baffled attempt to speak with the conductor, Max went to look for 99.

He found her waiting behind the stage near where the audience would be seated. "Have you heard anything yet?"

"Still nothing. I don't understand this, Max! There has to be at least _one _KAOS agent here!"

"I know. Tonight is when the band is supposed to perform and we've got to get to the messenger before he relays the last part of the formula!"

Suddenly, Max and 99 heard two men conversing. Max directed 99 to get under the seats and to view into the practice room where he and the band had been rehearsing earlier. The conductor spoke to one of the stage managers, saying, "Tell me how this looks."

As he peered at a sheet, the man called out as the conductor waved his arms,"1-7-8-9-7!. That's perfect! Those signals should work perfectly."

"Good. I was afraid that my signals weren't clear enough."

"99! The Leader is the Leader! Who would have thought that the Leader would be the Leader? It would be too obvious, because if we thought that the Leader were the Leader then it would have been to straight forward. But, KAOS knew that we wouldn't think that the Leader was the Leader and they banked that we wouldn't think that the Leader was the Leader because the Leader actually being the Leader would be too much to believe."

In a quizzical tone, 99 asked, "Max, do you think you can run that by me again?"

"I don't think so."

The KAOS men conversed for a short while and then the conductor said just before the other left. "Well, I'll be seeing you." Just as the man took a step to leave, the trumpet Max was given in the CONTROL lab began to play.

"99. My trumpet is playing without me," Max pouted childishly.

The conductor, baffled by the sudden playing picked up the instrument. "This is no ordinary trumpet and that man is no trumpet player!"

"What is it?"

"It's an automatic trumpet that plays music after a song title is announced," he said as he removed the microchip valve.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I have one just like it at home."

"We've got to find that man before he rats on us to CONTROL!"

"C'mon, 99. Let's get out of here." Just as Max and 99 emerged from underneath the bleachers, the KAOS men ran into them. Immediately they chased Max and 99 through the studio. Although they attempted to the throw the men off by having Max change into a similar Charlie Chaplin suit that was similar to what 99 was wearing, the men weren't phased. Eventually, the two ran into a stage set up where there were two doors to get in on either side. One agent followed them in to through to the other side while another agent met them at that entrance. It was then that Max led them through, closing each door behind them and locking it until they were in the middle section.

"99 go ahead and prop those two chairs against the door," Max pointed to some of the furniture that surrounded a simple table layout. He grabbed the remaining two chairs and stacked them against the doorway.

"Oh, Max," 99 began in a defeated tone, "This is it, isn't it."

Max seethed, enraged that he had caved into her begging. Immediately, he had the image of them standing in the apartment and he declared, "I knew this was too dangerous. I should have never brought you with me on this assignment!"

99 was slightly hurt by the remark, but it only took a moment for her to realize that it was true. She had allowed herself to get tangled up in this mess, hoping that things would change for the better. It was the end and 007's conversation kept cropping into her mind. However, she could only must up enough courage to say, "Well, even if this is the end, at least we're together."

At that final comment, Max looked over bashfully and then turned away. He fiddled with a cane that he had grabbed from the costume room, searching for something to say. Perhaps, 007 hadn't been as deceptive as he had originally assumed back in his apartment. Hearing 99 say, "At least we're together," made him want to believe that there was still a chance. It was then that he recalled to mind that 007 never had the chance to say, "I love you," because he had been too afraid and it was then that Max decided, "Enough is enough."

"99?"

"Yes, Max?"

"I've been wanting to tell you this for a long time, but I just never could find the words. Well, what I'm trying to say is that...is that I...I can't even find the words now."

"Well, then, let me find them for you. I love you, Max."

He turned to her with a quizzical look and said, "No. I wasn't going to say that. I was going to say, 'I love you, 99.'"

"I know, Max, but I'm saying I love you, too."

"You do?" He asked in astonishment.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head to which Max reciprocated by pulling her close. "I always have," she remarked. As they kissed, Max thought to himself, _She didn't love him. She never loved Royal. It was really me._ When she pulled away and leaned her head against his shoulder, Max found he was relieved by that fact.

"Maybe this would have been more romantic if we had discovered one another at your apartment, after having a candle lit dinner."

Max had little time to concentrate on the irony of that statement. Instead he concurred, " Yeah, it is too bad." He found that the impending danger no longer restrained him and the words just fell out comfortably. "You know, if somehow we were able to get out of here, I would marry you."

"You would?"

"Of course."

After a moment, it was then that 99 remembered code 19 and she perked up. Pulling away she suggested it.

"Code 19? The double door trick?"

"Do you think it would work?"

"We could always give it a try." Immediately, 99 and Max pulled away the chairs. By this time the KAOS agents had already broken through the first set of doors on either side of the middle section and they were pounding ferociously upon the doors opening up to their section. Max looked over at 99 when he finished and replied, "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"On three. One. Two. Three!" Max opened the door and 99 slid up against the wall until the KAOS agent ran into the opposing door and thus knocking himself out. Max pushed the agent aside and then prepared himself at the other door. "Alright, 99. One down. One to go." As he stood against the door, he saw that her had was on the knob. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"One. Two. Three!"

99 opened the door and Max repeated the same actions as previous, thus leading to yet another fallen KAOS agent. Immediately, 99 rushed over to Max and embraced him once more. "We did it, Max. And now, we can get married."

Suddenly, the thought occured to Max that they were actually going to get out of there alive and the responsibility of this new relationship, the fantasy that he had held in his mind for so long was going to become a reality. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't sure if he was able to face it. "Married?"

99 pulled away and asked in a hurt tone, "Didn't you mean what you said?"

"Yes, well that was when we were going to die..." He looked over at 99 and then stopped his train of thought. How could he be thinking this? How could he devastate her? How could he continue to lie, especially after the truth was out? It was then, that he went over to the microphone that had been sitting on the table. He pulled off the top piece and removed a circular ring. Without giving another worry, care, or thought to his action, he grabbed 99's hand and placed it on.

In answer to her question he replied silently, _Every word_.


End file.
